Plan Ahead!

So here we go again, another fun filled holiday in Hilton Head approaches and all the last minute planners are scrambling for a decent place to stay.  Unfortunately for them, the early bird is after rooms, not worms these days, as Hilton Head is pretty much completely sold out for the July 3rd, Friday evening and mostly sold out for the entire holiday weekend.  If you are able to get a room, you are sure to be paying full rack rate because here on the Island, we know we will sell out.

So what to do?  Make sure to plan ahead next time.  Save yourself a ton of money by using Enjoyhhi.com and calling at least a week in advance of a major holiday. We will take care of everything and you are left with the peace of mind that not only did you save a ton of money, but you also know you will be staying in a great place.  What makes Hilton Head truly special can also become its achilles heel, its is small, quaint, beautiful, and with limited availability. 

Did you miss out?  Well if you did, plan a trip to Hilton Head at the end of July or the beginning of August for the same great vacation just not quite as crowded. Check out EnjoyHHI.com's Vacation Packages and not only save yourself more than 50% but also guarantee that you have a reservation and that it is in a place we would stay in ourselves.  Or call us and we will be sure to recommend and book a hotel for you that will be perfectly tailored to fit your needs while still saving a bunch of money.  Our rates are to low to list online, so you have to call, but with our concierge experience you are sure to be impressed. We are here to help and as locals in the vacationing industry, we know how to serve you.

Hilton Head Cheap

We have been living on the Island for a little over 6 months now and I can tell you for certain that it can be quite expensive.  Yes there are a huge selection of top notch restaurants, more activities than you can know what to do with, and a healthy relaxed lifestyle to retire here for but it all seems to be so expensive!  Unless of course you learn the secrets to making Hilton Head just as inexpensive as anywhere else! 

(Drum Roll Please!)  The secret is selective shopping and taking the time to find the deals that are out there but tough to find. We have discovered that grocery shopping should be done at Publix here on the Island for quick items and at the Walmart in Bluffton to save money.  For going out to eat, grab a coupon from the Island Visitor's Center in Bluffton at the intersection of 278 and 46 or you can use one from Enjoyhhi.com or you can even stop at any of the Island Concierge staff in front of most of the restaurants and in the mall. 

For a good place to stay whether it is a villa or a hotel, you can always use that Island Visitor's Center as I have seen them save traveler's tons of money even more than travelocity and those huge booking engines.  For the villas, you can also go to HiltonHeadPlaces.com which is the newest and hottest Villas by owner website just for Hilton Head travelers. 

For everything else, you do have to shop around. One option you have is EnjoyHHI.com's new dollars where you can essentially name your own discount on any item from any merchant that is partnered with us that accepts those dollars.  On just buying $50 of EnjoyHHI.com dollars, you will save 10% instantly without having to search for a specific coupon and with as little as $100 you are saving 12% righ t off the top. For all other businesses that do not take our dollars, I recommend only frequenting those businesses that understand the value of their customers and aren't afraid to give customers discounts as opposed to places that traditionally just use print advertising. Look for companies out there that want to spend their ad budgets on giving the customer a pecentage of the sale back in other words, discounts. These are the companies that in my mind understand what is happening with the economy and truly have their clients' best interests at heart.  Some great companies that do this are the Brick Oven, Vagabond, and many others.  They truly value your business and rather than advertise heavily, they give their clients a discount to show their appreciation. 

What To Do With Rover

Some folks would no more leave their dog at home than they would one of their children. Hey, Hilton Head is a family oriented resort destination, and ain’t Rover part of the family too? Roughly half of Hilton Heads accommodations are pet friendly, including hotels, private resorts, and private rental villas and condos; just ask, it’s easy to find a place that suits! Most places do, understandably, require a pet deposit, which is sometimes refundable and sometimes not. Be advised however, no matter where you are staying, “housekeeping” is not going to go into your room, suite, or whatever, as long as the dog is in there! If you need clean sheets keep the dog with you until the maids are finished. If you can’t take him with you, and must have the room cleaned, there is at least one “doggie day care" available, as well as private pet sitting services, and a few vets that offer the service.

Restaurants on the island are as pet friendly as the law allows them to be; basically, if they offer outside dining your dog is welcome. Most will bring a bowl of water for your pet, and if you want him to enjoy your left over’s they will bring a special doggie plate just for that. There is even one pet shop that sells home made, gourmet doggie delicacies and sponsors a weekly “yappy hour”! Lots of stores and shops will allow your dog inside, but please be considerate, most of these stores are smallish and stocked to the max; not exactly the place for a one-hundred pound lab to be nosing around, if you can’t carry your pet in your arms then wait until you have an opportunity to go in the store alone. Even the islands one and only mall advertises that they want you to bring your dog in; they would much rather the pet be in the store than roasting in a parked care, just please pick up in little “accidents”.

Dogs are more than welcome in the parks and on the beaches, however the rules change with the seasons. From Memorial Day weekend until after labor day weekend, dogs may run free on the beach before 10:00 AM, from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM they are not allowed on the beaches, after 5:00 they must be on a leash. During the “off” season, from Labor Day weekend until Memorial Day weekend dogs are allowed on the beach any time, but must be on a leash between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM. No matter where or when you are, with there sometimes being as many as one-hundred-fifty-thousand people on the island, it just makes sense that you be required to pick up after your pet, bags are provided in all public places, and it’s a good idea to just grab a few and keep them with you; rather than having to go look for one when the time comes!

Plantation Living

Not knowing quite what to expect, my family and I just moved to Hilton Head Island, SC. We have marketed the Island for several years but neither of us had found the time to actually make it down here. Boy, were we missing out. Words cannot quite describe Island living in this setting. The area is beautiful, the locals wonderful, the scenery is gorgeous, and everywhere we go there is a unique experience just waiting for us to explore.

As we settled into the area, we moved into a villa in the Shipyard Plantation. If you haven’t been to Shipyard, you should make the detour. The roadway leading into the area is blocked by a security guard but as I hear it, you can tell them you are going to the Crowne Plaza and they will let you in. As you drive along the roadway, go slow, as there is plenty to see. On the left you will find a country club and to the right, you will see what appears to be a beautiful lagoon. In the lagoon, you will see fishermen standing along the embankment fishing just mere feet away from many full grown alligators. There are many other types of wildlife to be seen here as well. All around you are happy locals and vacationers alike riding their bicycle’s to and fro looking as if they haven’t a care in the world.

Villa living is nicer than you would expect as well. The garbage collection is done by workers coming to your villa and actually picking up your trash from inside your fenced front yard area. The gardeners take care of all of your foliage and the security guards keep you safe. Not that there is much crime on the Island but it is nice to know that less than a block away are two armed guards. The amenities are to die for as Shipyard has it’s own private beach access as well as a community pool that we have yet to spot others using. We are close to everything, so close in fact, that most everything is within bike riding distance.

By night the plantation is quiet and peaceful. The sounds of the wild are all around you and as you listen you will hear the crickets serenade you well into the evening. Sleep comes easily as lay your head down after a full day of beach going and Island exploring.

Things To Do

It doesn’t matter who you are, where you are from or how many are in your group or family; everyone will find plenty to enjoy, making their Hilton Head vacation something they wish didn’t have to end. With eleven public, and semi-public courses on Hilton Head and ten more in nearby Bluffton and on Daufuskie Island (and 16 more private courses), there is a course and a tee-time available for every skill level. What about miniature golf? There are four courses on the island. If Tennis is your cup of tea, there are over three-hundred courts, which offer practically any surface you desire, many are private and many more are public; not to mention the courts located in the public parks! Is your teenager into rollerblading or skateboarding? There is even a public park specifically for that activity; absolutely free to use and complete with restrooms and a picnic area!

Alligator spotting is another popular island pastime, and everyone seems to get in on the “hunt”, don’t be surprised when folks you meet on the bike trail start telling you, and “baby alligator under the next bridge”! Tired of looking for gators, how about a dolphin tour? You can spot dolphins from just about any place you can see the water, or you can get up close and personal in just about every kind of watercraft you can imagine, from kayaks, to Harbour cruisers, the comfort and stability of a 53’ catamaran or even the legendary racing yacht “Stars and Strips”, which Dennis Connor skippered to an historic America’s Cup victory. You can even rent a jet ski and take off on your own personal dolphin safari, or spot them from a para-sail five-hundred feet above the water!

Fishing charters are available for just about every fish that exist, including a couple that promise “monster sharks” and one night time shark fishing charter. There is even a charter for crabbing and another that will teach you how to fish a crab trap and throw a cast net. If you want to go it alone, you do not need any type of license to fish or crab from the beach or shore, but if you are in any type of vessel, other than a charter, you will need to secure a South Carolina license first. The island also has dozen of fresh water ponds, some private and some public, practically all are good fishing holes and practically all for “catch and release” fishing only.

What about a quiet picnic in the park? Hilton Heads park system is nothing short of remarkable; nearly all have picnic areas and playgrounds, most offer access to the beach. Parks on the island all have paved parking areas (usually cobblestone and tabby), two have grills for public use, one has four tennis courts and a dog park as well and many are equipped with sand showers. Still haven’t found anything? Well, there are historic tours, ferry rides to Beaufort and Savannah, prehistoric sites, colonial era ruins, dozens and dozens of specialty stores and shops, nearly three hundred restaurants, free out door concerts and a colonial era cemetery, remains of several civil war camps and batteries, the site of the first freed men’s township, or you could hop on over to Daufuskie.................. (You’ll find plenty to do).